U.S. patent number 5,495,942 [Application Number 08/326,316] was granted by the patent office on 1996-03-05 for automatic extending member selector.
Invention is credited to Allan Izhak.
United States Patent |
5,495,942 |
Izhak |
March 5, 1996 |
Automatic extending member selector
Abstract
A device is described capable of selectively extending one
member selected from a number of possible extending members, by a
selector, full extension of the selected member being made under
spring force applied by a rotating shaft.
Inventors: |
Izhak; Allan (Poughkeepsie,
NY) |
Family
ID: |
23271712 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/326,316 |
Filed: |
October 20, 1994 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/372;
206/37.8; 206/377; 30/157; 7/168; 70/456R; 81/440 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C
11/324 (20130101); B25F 1/04 (20130101); Y10T
70/8676 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
A45C
11/32 (20060101); A45C 11/00 (20060101); B25F
1/04 (20060101); B25F 1/00 (20060101); A45C
011/32 (); B25G 003/38 () |
Field of
Search: |
;81/440 ;30/157,143
;70/456 ;206/372,375,376,377,37.8,37 ;7/168 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gehman; Bryon P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Bierman; Jordan B. Bierman and
Muserlian
Claims
I claim:
1. A device for selectively extending one member selected from a
plurality of extending members having mounting apertures, when
retained in said device said device comprising,
a frame assembly comprising parallel side plates, including a first
side plate and a second side plate, spaced apart from each other, a
rear wall connecting said side plates at one longitudinal edge of
said side plates and a bottom plate bridging said side plates at a
bottom portion of said side plates, said side plates, rear wall,
and bottom plate defining an open cavity of sufficient depth to
allow for partial enclosure of extending members to be retained,
said cavity being open in a frontal position parallel to said rear
wall, and in a top position parallel to said bottom plate;
a hollow shaft extending between said side plates through
throughholes, said shaft being capable of mating with mounting
apertures of the extending members whereby the extending members
can be rotatably mounted on said shaft, said shaft further having
an open raceway formed therein;
a selector capable of selecting one retained extending member, said
selector comprising a cylindrical member having a tailpiece
extending therefrom, said selector being positioned within said
hollow shaft with said tailpiece extending through said raceway to
an exterior of said shaft whereby said shaft is capable of
contacting a retained extending member selected for extension, said
selector being movable within said shaft between said side
plates,
a selector control for controlling said position of said
selector,
a shaft biasing member for biasing said shaft to rotate between a
closed position and an extended position, a retarding member
preventing said shaft from rotating, and a release member for
releasing said retarding member whereby said shaft is rotated by
force of said biasing member.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein said extending members to be
retained are keys.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein a head portion of at least one of
said keys has a width equal to that of a shaft portion thereof.
4. The device of claim 2 wherein a head portion of at least one of
said keys is replaced by a socket into which a key shaft
extends.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein said extending members to be
retained are allen wrenches.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein said extending members to be
retained are knife blades.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein said frame assembly is two
sections, a first section comprising said first side plate, said
rear wall, and said bottom plate, a second section comprising a
housing in which said selector control is disposed, a thickness of
said second section being equal to a height of said bottom plate
extending from said rear wall, whereby said second section can be
mounted on said rear wall, and one side of said housing comprises
said second side plate.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein said selector control moves said
selector via a flexible connecting member with and against bias of
a selector biasing member.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein said retarding member comprises a
spring plate mounted on said rear wall, a first edge of said spring
plate proximal to said shaft being caused to be spaced from said
rear wall, said first edge engaging an engaging tooth of said shaft
to prevent rotation thereof, activation of said release member
causing depression of said spring plate whereby said engaging tooth
is disengaged and said shaft is free to rotate.
10. The device of claim 9 wherein retained extending members are
provided with engaging teeth which can be engaged by said first
edge, whereby the extending members can be prevented from rotation
until said release member is activated.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein said shaft is further provided
with an armature capable of holding the extending members when
retained until said release member is activated and being capable
of aiding in the return of the extending members to a closed
position.
12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a safety which, when
engaged, prevents activation of said release member.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein said safety comprises a slide of
magnetic material mounted in a channel between opposing magnets,
whereby said slide is releasably retained under said release member
by magnetic force, thereby preventing depression of said release
member, tapping of said bottom plate causing movement of said slide
whereby activation of said release member is possible.
14. A device for selectively extending one member selected from a
plurality of extending members having mounting apertures, said
device comprising;
at least one extending member,
a frame assembly comprising parallel side plates, including a first
side plate and a second side plate, spaced apart from each other, a
rear wall connecting said side plates at one longitudinal edge of
said side plates and a bottom plate bridging said side plates at a
bottom portion of said side plates, said side plates, rear wall,
and bottom plate defining an open cavity of sufficient depth to at
least partially enclose said at least one extending member, said
cavity being open in a frontal position parallel to said rear wall,
and in a top position parallel to said bottom plate;
a hollow shaft extending between said side plates through
throughholes, said shaft being adapted to mate with mounting
apertures of said at least one extending member whereby said at
least one extending member can be rotatably mounted on said shaft,
said shaft further having an open raceway formed therein,
a selector adapted to select one extending member, said selector
comprising a cylindrical member having a tailpiece extending
therefrom, said selector being positioned within said hollow shaft
with said tailpiece extending through said raceway to an exterior
of said shaft to contact one extending member selected for
extension, said selector being movable within said shaft between
said side plates,
a selector control for controlling said position of said
selector,
a shaft biasing member for biasing said shaft to rotate between a
closed position and an extended position, a retarding member
preventing said shaft from rotating, and a release member for
releasing said retarding member whereby said shaft is rotated by
force of said biasing member.
Description
The present invention is directed to an automatic selector and more
specifically, to a device for automatically selecting an extending
member such as a key, allen wrench, knife blade, screwdriver, or
the like. The invention allows for the orderly organization of the
extending members, while minimizing bulk, and allowing selection of
the appropriate member, easily, quickly, and automatically.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Although the invention can be used in combination with various
extending members, the invention is particularly suitable for use
as an automatic key selector, and will be described below,
accordingly. The construction of the invention, and manner in which
it operates will be substantially the same, regardless of the type
of member being selected.
Most keys are currently organized using a simple key ring. These
keys are bulky and cumbersome and, while on the key ring, can
spread out in a haphazard manner, or be too bulky to fit in a
clothing pocket. The key ring maintains the keys in order; however,
the order of the keys needs to be memorized, or identified based on
the key shape. Finding the correct key on a key ring often takes
time, requires the use of two hands, and is extremely difficult in
the dark.
To ease the identification of keys on a key ring, different shaped
heads were used on the keys. This manner of identifying keys was
found to be only minimally effective, however, as the shape of key
heads on various keys were the same, or very similar. Similarly,
keys were previously produced in different colors (gold or silver),
and the heads of the keys were made in multiple colors.
Identification of the keys, based on color, however, still required
a search for the desired key, and was not helpful in the dark.
Another method for aiding in the identification of keys was a
leather case, comprising rows of hooks to which the keys were
attached. This method of organizing the keys, however, still
required the user to manually open the case with two hands,
visually identify the key, manually take the key from the case, and
close the snap of the case when finished using the key. Over the
years, a number of devices were designed in order to address the
foregoing problems, and such are described, for example, in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 1,943,844, 2,589,571, 2,634,599, 2,855,774, 3,618,346,
5,215,190, and 5,232,086. None of these prior art devices, however,
allowed one to automatically extend a single selected key (or other
extending member) from a plurality thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention
to provide a device for selectively extending for use one member
selected from a plurality of extending members, wherein the device
is compact, and is easy to both use and manufacture.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description considered in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partial cutaway, partially exploded view of the
inventive device with the plurality of extending members in
place;
FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned, partially exploded view of the
inventive device without the extending members in place;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating the device for extending
the selected extending member;
FIGS 4a-4d show various extending member configurations usable in
the inventive device; and
FIG. 5 illustrates a safety mechanism used in conjunction with the
inventive device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown the inventive device for
selectively extending one member selected from a plurality of
extending members. It comprises frame assembly 1 including first
side plate 2 and parallel second side plate 3, spaced apart from
each other. Rear wall 4 connects first side plate 2 and second side
plate 3 on at least one longitudinal edge thereof, and bottom plate
5 bridges the side plates at a bottom portion thereof. The
combination of first side plate 2, second side plate 3, rear wall
4, and bottom plate 5 defines open cavity 6 of sufficient depth to
encase the extending members, the cavity being open in a frontal
position parallel to rear wall 4, and in a top position parallel to
bottom plate 5.
Hollow shaft 7 extends between first side plate 2 and second side
plate 3, shaft 7 being adapted to mate with mounting apertures
formed in the extending members, whereby those members are
rotatably mounted around shaft 7. Shaft 7 further has open raceway
8 formed therein, shaft 7 being biased to rotate by shaft biasing
member 9.
Selector 10 allows for the selection of the member to be extended
and comprises cylindrical member 11 having tailpiece 12 extending
therefrom. Selector 10 is provided within the hollow of hollow
shaft 7 with tailpiece 12 extending through raceway 8 to the
exterior of shaft 7, thereby to contact the member selected for
extension. The position of selector 10 is movable within shaft 7,
between first side plate 2 and second side plate 3. The position of
selector 10 is controlled by selector control 13 that preferably
moves selector 10 via flexible connecting member 14 with and
against the bias of selector biasing member 15.
A more detailed view of shaft 7 and selector 10 is shown in FIG. 3.
As can be seen therefrom, shaft 7 is provided with a retarding
system which prevents shaft 7 from rotating. Release member 17
(shown in FIG. 2) releases the retarding system, whereby shaft 7 is
rotated by force of shaft biasing member 9.
Referring again to FIG. 2, the frame assembly is preferably formed
as two sections, first frame section 18 comprising first side plate
2, rear wall 4, and bottom plate 5. Second frame section 19
comprises the housing in which selector control 13 is disposed, the
thickness of second section 19 being equal to the height of bottom
plate 5 extending from rear wall 4 whereby second section 19 can be
mounted on rear wall 4 so that one side of second section 19
comprises second side plate 3.
Preferably, the retarding system comprises spring plate 20, a first
edge of which, proximal to shaft 7, being spaced apart from rear
wall 4 by spacing member 21. The first edge of spring plate 20
engages engaging tooth 16 to prevent rotation thereof. Activation
of release member 17 causes depression of spring plate 20, whereby
engaging tooth 16 is disengaged, and shaft 7 is free to rotate.
Each of the extending members can also comprise engaging teeth,
engaging the first edge of spring plate 20, whereby the extending
members are prevented from rotation until release member 17 is
activated. Shaft 7 can be further provided with armature 22 for
holding the extending members until release member 17 is activated.
Armature 22 further aids in returning the extending members to the
closed position. The position of extending members 34 in the
inventive device is shown in FIG. 1.
Preferably, the inventive device will be supplied with a safety, as
shown in FIG. 5. Safety 23 comprises safety slide 24 formed of a
magnetic material, mounted between opposing magnets 25 in channel
26 provided so that safety slide 24 is positioned below release
member 17 by magnetic force, preventing depression of release
member 17. By shaking the device, safety slide 24 is caused to
move, whereby activation of release member 17 is made possible.
Various possible configurations of the extending members are shown
in FIG. 4. FIG. 4a shows a key for use with the inventive device.
Key 27 comprises key shaft 28 and key head 29. Key head 29 is
provided with aperture 30 through which shaft 7 can pass. Key head
29 is further provided with engaging tooth 16 for engaging spring
plate 20, and can further be provided with cut out portion 31
adapted to accept armature 22. As is shown, key head 29 can be
modified to have a width equal to, or greater than that of key
shaft 28. As an alternative, each of aperture 30, cut out portion
31, and engaging tooth 16 can be provided on socket 32, which is
then affixed to key shaft 28 by set screw 33, as shown in FIG. 4b.
Similarly, extending member 23 can be, among other things, a knife
blade (see FIG. 4c) or an allen wrench (see FIG. 4d).
While only the fundamental novel features of the invention as
applied to a preferred embodiment thereof have been expressly shown
and described, it is understood that various omissions,
substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the device
illustrated and in its operation be made by those skilled in the
art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is
therefore the intention of Applicant that the invention be limited
only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
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